Berlin International Harp Masterclass

The harp. Most people will think of words such as ‘angelic, heavenly, cloud, gentle, light’ and so on. Attributes that don’t come to mind as quickly include: big, complicated, heavy, expensive and tap dancing.

Well, maybe tap dancing isn’t quite true. What few people are aware of, though, is that a modern concert harp is almost 2 metres tall and weighs just over 40 kilograms – and that it has seven pedals. These control the pitch of the strings and they frequently must be moved rapidly into three different positions each (a total of 21) using your feet. This is done while the fingers are plucking all 47 strings using the glissando, arpeggio or flageolet technique to produce sound. In a nutshell: playing the harp is a full-body endeavour. An endeavour that requires practice. A whole lot of practice.

Since 2021, we, the Berlin International Harp Masterclass, have been dedicated to training and development of young harpists, who are preparing for a course of studies or are already pursuing a harp degree. The masterclass offers harpists, who are eager to learn, the opportunity to spend a week working intensively on a relevant solo repertoire, and to prepare for entrance examinations, competitions and auditions.

Joel von Lerber

Daily One-on-one Teaching

The internationally renowned Swiss harpist Joel von Lerber started the masterclass. He has been living in Berlin for more than eight years, and he regularly plays concerts as a soloist with orchestras in Germany and abroad. As a harpist from the younger generation, training the next generation of harp players is a matter that is close to his heart. This is why he often holds additional masterclasses, especially when he plays concerts abroad.

As had been the case in the opening year of 2021, harpists from around the world were able to apply for one of nine places in the Berlin International Harp Masterclass also in 2022. The Class was held in the recently completed meeting centre Gollwitz Manor House. Applicants had to submit video or audio recordings of themselves playing, as well as their artist's resume and an application form, specifying the pieces they wish to work on in the masterclass.

The selected participants from Germany, Austria, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Wales and Switzerland had a very intense experience to look forward to from 14 to 21 August: 45 minutes of individual teaching a day, a mid-week performance training session, and a final concert at which what had been learned over the course of the week would be presented to concert goers from near and far.

Ysaline Lentze

Final Concert of the BIHM 2022

Between the lessons, the harpists were able to practise at any time, using one of the eight available harps. In addition to the instruments brought by Joel von Lerber and the participants, the company Salvi Music Deutschland supported the masterclass by providing three professional pedal harps.

Young musicians from all disciplines must face numerous challenges, especially in times like these. This is particularly true for harpists with their expensive, high-maintenance instrument.

This is why harp players tend to be extremely grateful when intensive classes like these are facilitated with their own instrument, and when loan instruments are provided, as well as for any form of financial support.

Thanks to generous support from the DAAD-Stiftung, we were not only able to reduce the fees for all participants, but we could also fund tickets for an additional cultural event.

We describe an exemplary day of the week of the Berlin International Harp Masterclass, including specific challenges related to the individual pieces HERE.

Alongside all the intense work on musical technique, the networking aspect of the masterclass should also be highlighted. A particular highlight among the various joint activities the masterclass participants engaged in in the evenings was the visit to the Potsdamer Schlössernacht. Those who could not get enough of playing the harp, were able to join the spontaneously established harp ensemble and interpret pieces that the participant Maximilian Treller had arranged himself.

Joel von Lerber; Ysaline Lentze

Visiting Sanssouci Castle in the context of the Potsdamer Schlössernacht

The fact that the exchange among the harpists worked very well, could be seen both during the masterclass and beyond it. The contacts and friendships formed were continued not only privately but also in the context of music. A particularly lovely example of this are two participants who met just a few weeks after the end of the class to give a little duo concert in Austria. Planning is also underway for a general virtual follow-up meeting that is likely to take place in late 2022 or early 2023. The purpose of this meeting is not just for the masterclass participants to see each other again after the phase of working together, but it is also intended for exchange about the development and progress achieved in the meantime.

What is really noticeable is, how grateful the young harpists are for opportunities such as the Berlin International Harp Masterclass. A week away from their everyday lives, focussing firmly on the harp, as a passion shared by all participants.

Daily one-on-one teaching to meet the individual requirements of each harpist, followed by independent practice, enable the participants to intensely work on the pieces of their choice and to make significant progress in a short time. The performance training session and the final concert are not only important inspiration for playing concerts from memory, but also opportunities for training confidence and stage presence.

The international orientation of the masterclass allows for networking among young musicians from different countries and it thus helps to maintain our diverse and inclusive cultural landscape.

We would like to thank the DAAD-Stiftung once again, also on behalf of all participants. We are delighted that we were enabled to support young harpists again this year, and to offer guidance and support and to help them to make progress.